Animal health board revises Montana import requirements

BISMARCK – The North Dakota State Board of Animal Health now recognizes Montana’s brucellosis-free status with the exception of cattle and bison from seven southwestern Montana counties.

Meeting Wednesday in Bismarck, the board rescinded an earlier order requiring testing of most cattle and bison from Montana and issued a new order, limiting the testing to cattle and bison from Beaverhead, Carbon, Gallatin, Madison, Park, Sweet Grass and Stillwater counties. Animals from those counties that must be tested include females, 18 months of age or older or that have calved or are near calving, as well as bulls, 12 months and older.

The new order requires cattle and bison be negative to an official test for brucellosis within 30 days prior to entering North Dakota.

The seven counties are adjacent to or near Yellowstone National Park, where brucellosis is common among bison and elk.

“The order is consistent with North Dakota’s requirements for livestock from counties near Yellowstone Park in Idaho and Wyoming,” said Dr. Beth Carlson, deputy state veterinarian.